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Ticks carrying Lyme disease are out there. So it's a good idea after being outdoors, especially in the warmer months, to check yourself and your family.
Lyme disease is caused by bacteria passed to people through a tick bite. The disease can be mistaken for other illnesses, such as the flu or mononucleosis, but is easily treated with antibiotics in its early stage. Left untreated, though, the bacteria can lie dormant for months before causing arthritic, neurological and cardiovascular problems, such as swollen and painful joints and nerve pain.
Lyme disease, which was first recognized more than 25 years ago in Lyme, Conn., has become the most common disease caused by a tick bite in the United States. Most cases have been from Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
How can you tell if you're infected?
About 70 percent of infected people are bitten in their own yards. If you find one tick on you, there are likely to be many more out there.
It's very easy to get bitten and infected by a tick without ever knowing it and to overlook the early warning signs. The baby ticks - called nymphs - that usually transmit the disease are about the size of a pinhead. The first symptoms - fever, fatigue, headache, body aches and joint pain - can last for two or three days before disappearing. Often they are dismissed as a routine viral infection.
However, in 70 percent to 80 percent of cases, an infected person will notice a red circular rash. This rash may develop central clearing (a bull's-eye) three to 30 days from the time of the tick bite.
If the rash is larger than a quarter, you may have Lyme disease and you should see a doctor right away.
Most ticks don't carry the bacteria. Even if an infected tick bites you, your risk of getting Lyme disease is greatly reduced if you remove the tick within the first 24 hours. An infected tick has to be attached to your body for about 36 to 48 hours to transmit the disease.
A single 200-milligram dose of doxycycline can prevent Lyme disease following a deer tick bite. Doctors usually only offer this option in regions with high rates of Lyme disease.
How to reduce your risk
A daily head-to-toe examination for ticks can be helpful. When you do a "tick check," make sure you examine the insect's favorite resting spots - the groin, armpits, navel, waistline, neck, scalp and backs of the knees.
Ticks like tight, moist areas where blood vessels are close to the skin. Once they get on you, they'll find a nice spot. They can be almost anywhere.
Here's how you can reduce your risk:
- Avoid tick-infested areas. Wooded areas are more likely to harbor ticks, particularly in May, June and July. This is the most dangerous time of the year. If you're hiking in the woods, stay in the middle of the trail.
- Keep your yard clean and your grass cut short. Ticks don't like direct sunlight, so cutting and clearing brush and tall grass outside your house may help to lower the tick population. You also can contact a professional to spray your yard each year with an insecticide.
- Protect yourself. When outdoors, wear long-sleeved shirts and closed-toed shoes if possible. Wearing light-colored clothing gives you a better chance of spotting ticks that try to latch onto you. Tuck your pants legs into your socks or boots, and tuck in your shirt. Keep long hair tied back, and wear a hat. Apply insect repellent containing DEET or permethrin to outerwear before venturing into tick-infested regions.
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External Sources
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American Medical Association
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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